Earth 134
In this earth, an alternate timeline of Earth 133, there was a war between humans and monsters. As a result, humans had to take refuge in the underground: a series of cave systems under the Bony Mountains. The surface is controlled by the monsters, who have a monarchial society in place, despite technology and social issues otherwise having reached levels similar to that of Earth 133. The current ruler of Monstoria is King Beneh Leriot, an Argenti Lion. His rule is authoritarian, but not totalitarian--that is, he does have unitary power over the laws of the land and tolerates no rebellion that he knows about, but is not concerned with controlling his people on an ideological and cultural level. It's too much work for too little reward. Monster Species * Hrafnir- Also called Dire Crows. These creatures are known for both their incredible intelligence and cruelty. Traditionally a Hrafn advisor was a significant mark of status for any powerful figure, but they now have a reputation for dishonesty ever since one betrayed one of the last human leaders. According to legend, Hrafnir are able to use their mystical "true eye" or "third eye" to see invisible magics and bewitch weak humans. Today the Hrafnir's Onyx Guild is King Leriot's personal militia. ** Supposedly two power-hungry rebellious Hrafnir named Pitch and Jet, have begun recruiting a rebellious Human militia. * Jedza - A powerful force to be reckoned with. Known for their history of belligerence and hedonism. A Jedza looks like a hunchbacked short legged humanoid, with dexterous clawed paws like raccoons, short antlers, and lizard-like eyes. Thanks to their natural magic, they are extremely good botanists and are the only ones who can grow certain magical herbs used in mind-altering toxins that King Leriot uses to interrogate rebels against his rule. * Tloqaiti- Smaller Bird Species adept with language. In the war, they were primarily spies. * Argenti Lions- a somewhat isolated silver lion tribe with light-based abilities. During the war, they confused the humans with illusions and tricks, leading them into ambushes and traps. Today they are more likely to be found quietly living in the mountains, seeking absolution for the horrible things they did in the war. They have the somewhat unusual tradition of having their family name as their first name and their last name as their individual names. * FireGoats- Devout Goat-humanoids with an aptitude for fire magic. A sect of these have formed into "The Cleansing Flame", a horrific cult which burned down many human settlements during the war. * FrostBears- Snarky but ultimately insular ice-magic-wielding polar bear creatures. Many actually tried to stop the war and defend humanity from the atrocities they suffered towards the end of the war, and were as a result the victims of purges themselves. Today they are endangered, and those that remain hide in their small fortresses in the far north. * RockRabbits- a major nation adept with tunneling magics. In the war, they created vast underground bases used by the Monsters to sneak up on the Humans. * HeartDogs-Empathic Dog creatures. They were split by the war, often even at the level of the family, with brothers and sisters fighting on opposite sides. They were some of the most dangerous warriors on the battlefield for the strength they got from fighting alongside a found family. Many today who remember the war are the most emotionally crippled by what they've seen and done. * WindSpiders- A race of giant spiders who live in flying fortresses in the sky. During the war they often were useful for surveillance and bombing, and now have become a rival to King Leriot. They currently claim sovereignty over the skies, and live in a flying web-country which moves with the clouds. * SeaLizards- a race of large amphibious lizards with an affinity for sea-magic. During the war, they caused the seas and rivers to rise on human settlements and drown all those who lived there. * Skeletons- a rare race of monsters which entirely sided with the humans in the war. As a result, most are wiped out, and the rest have sheltered the humans in their caves in the Bony Mountains. * Spectres- Many who died in the war died with corrupted magic in their hearts. After their deaths, they return as vengeful spirits trying to right the wrongs that led to their deaths. HeartDogs, with their emotionally-connected magic, were especially susceptible to becoming Spectres. The War Memorial to the Battle of Four Kings is filled with Spectres, making traveling there a highly risky endeavor. Main Characters * Jordan Alexander- A skeleton whose eye socket was scarred during the war. He is a general in the burgeoning human resistance in the Underground. * Stephen Woden- A Dire Crow and leader of the Onyx Guild, with an eye on the throne. Literally one eye, as he lost the other in the war. * Queen Swey Heuli- The leader of the WindSpiders. Seen as a benevolent dictator by her people, she plots to spread her dominance over the skies, and eventually even sweep down to earth. * Baron Xinsno- The current leader of the FrostBears. He swore fealty to King Beneh Leriot, but only to gain some measure of peace for his people. Would prefer to protect his own rather than seek any higher power. * High Priestess Incancapra- the leader of the fanatical FireGoat cult "The Cleansing Flame". Is actually an ambitious figure hoping to unite the FireGoats and rule Monstoria as a Theocracy. * King Beneh Leriot- An Argenti Lion and the younger son of old King Beneh Banstalok, who ascended to the throne after his dad and older siblings died in the Battle of Four Kings, the last battle of the war. * Doctor Bludstar- A mad Jedza scientist known for experimenting on spectres to find out why they manage to remain after death. Created an android body for an ally Spectre she befriended. Lives in an underground Lab (made out of a former crypt) in the 4 Kings Graveyard. * Infernatron- Doctor Bludstar's ally and lover. She is a robot with the soul of one of the fighters in the Battle of the 4 Kings. She hopes to convince Bludstar to aid the human resistance with her technological mastery. * Tobias Reynard- constantly touring musician who seems to know more about the nature of this world than he's letting on. Lead Keyboardist and songwriter for the band Fox and the Later Dunes. * Indigo- A SeaLizard Guitarist and lead singer, she is often remembered for her incredible vocal power and stage energy. * Rex Tema- An Argenti Lioness, she's the quirky bass guitarist of Fox and the Later Dunes, remembered for her intensely stylized artistic effects (including lighting and stage design), and her high harmonies. * Urzeal Azalea- A FrostBear and drummer of Fox and the Later Dunes. He's typically the quiet one, who doesn't stand out as much against the personalities of his bandmates, but is the nicest one when interacting with fans. Major Organizations/Religions Religions * The Cult of the Cleansing Flame- a fanatical FireGoat Cult known for heavy usage of incense, fiery terrorist attacks and atrocities, and a bizarre belief in alternate universes. * Gorkdeism- A relatively peaceful religion for SeaLizards, if somewhat dogmatic. They center on the Great Lizard-God Gork, who they believe will eventually come and restore balance to the world by drowning it with the oceans. They started as a medieval tradition around what would later be named (by them) the Sea of St. Sarture, after Saint Sarture, a SeaLizard who was drowned as a witch for testifying his faith in the great lizard-god Gork in that very lake. (he was first sealed in a primitive form of concrete, then tossed into the lake so that the drowning would actually be effectual). * Leonianity- the religion of the Argenti Lions. Today, many of its followers seek atonement, and the ancient scriptures they follow have been reinterpreted in light of the tragedies that happened during the war. Other Organizations * Fox and the Later Dunes- Earth 134's premier rock band, they are known for their over the top stage performances (including impressive light shows), and awesome music with subversive lyrics. Their members are Tobias Reynard, Indigo, Rex Tema, and Urzeal Azalea. Major Locations Cities * Fortuna City-After the war, this city formed as a place for the monsters to get their minds off of the tragedies in the war. On the outside, it appears to be a bright, active city, full of joy and fun. Underneath that surface lies a city of individuals trying to escape themselves, whether through drinks, drugs, gambling, or prostitution. * New Frost City- Formerly the primary home of FrostBears in Glacia, it was the victim of vicious attacks towards the end of the war when the FrostBears sided with and tried to protect humanity. Today, it is only a small village surrounded by giant icy ruins. * Ice Crystal Fortress- The home of Baron Xinsno, and the most defended city in the far north. During the war, underground frozen caverns in this fortress were hiding spots for refugee humans. After the war, most were driven away by Xinsno's decree, made in the hope of protecting his people from the wrath of the new king. * Fort Bearbill * Monstertopia- the capital city of Monstoria, it is a proud fortified city. The king's castle sits at the center, surrounded by a moat of lava and protected by many puzzles involving lethal spikes. * Magmaville-a major site of industry situated in an active volcano, this city was originally built to be an inescapable prison for the most dangerous prisoners of war. You can still see this influence in the very brutalist buildings of the city--much of the buildings are stiff, grey concrete jutting out over rivers of lava. * Fish Processing Consortium- a massive factory for catching and processing fish, which is one of the primary food staples of Monstoria. * Tropoville * A Monument to the Battle of the Four Kings-At the site of the battle, there sits a monument to the rulers who died on the side of the monsters. In a crypt here, Doctor Bludstar lives with her android girlfriend. * The Human Underground- a massive underground civilization where the remaining humans live. Legend says that King Daniel's only heir, Princess Samantha, lies in hibernation in an ice crystal, waiting for the day when she can rise again, and take the humans back into the sunlight. Geophysical Landmarks * Monstros Ocean * The Bony Mountains * The Forests of Sir Erial- a forest region south of the Bony Mountains. * The Toxic Wastelands- a large Desert area east of the Bony Mountains. A factory for magical war machines was built on an oasis in this desert, but the runoff poisoned the surrounding area. Creatures from this area are half-melted, radioactive mutant abominations. * The Cliffs of Catarath * Sea of St. Sarture * Glacia- The Northern region of Monstoria, north of the Cliffs of Catarath. Once a thriving forested region, ecological devastation during the war has left it largely uninhabited--an icy wasteland with the only inhabitants living in the two cities in that region. History Point of Divergence from Earth 133: In the year 2238, the HeartDog reformist diplomat Topher Drogo was assasinated by Gregori Cain, a human supremacist terrorist. As a result, Drogo's diplomatic reforms never happened, and the races of monsters engaged in a retaliatory war against all humans. This united together in cause what had been previously several competing species. The Monster-Human War (2238-2475) Over a grueling, 237-year war, humans were almost completely destroyed, and driven from the surface. What had initially been a fairly non-divisive retaliation turned into a brutal annihilation war by the fifth decade. Humans became increasingly sympathetic in the eyes of the monsters as the war continued and more and more atrocities against them occurred. By the very end of the war, while "monsters" as a nationality had been established, and ruled over all the earth, bitter divisions were forged based on different races' actions in the war. * The Battle of the Four Kings: the final battle of the war, it was the last stand for the Human Protectorate against the combined might of the Monster Alliance. It gets its name from the 4 monarchs who went to battle and died here: King Beneh Banstalok of the Lions, Queen Veronika of the Skeletons, King Daniel of the Humans, and King Temtea of the HeartDogs. A monument to Banstalok and Temtea sits at the site of the battle (and the other two lie in unmarked graves at the site, as they were on the losing side).